In 1968, Harry Edwards created an Olympic revolution by asking black athletes one simple question: "Why should we play where we cannot work?"

Edwards' inquisitive nature led to the "Revolt of the Black Athlete" at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

Now, some 33 years after the famous Black Power salutes by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the victory stand, Edwards is asking the same question.

	Coaching racial diversity
	Division I football
		Head coaches	Assistant coaches
	White	201	1,459
	Black	19	456
	Other	3	42
	Total	223	1,957
	All Division I sports
		Head coaches	Assistant coaches
	White	4,898	8,041
	Black	537	1,758
	Other	133	334
	Total	5,568	10,151
	Source: NCAA

So is Kellen Winslow.

It was Winslow, the former San Diego Charger and Hall of Fame tight end, who in February instructed his son Kellen Jr. to consider race when selecting a college.

"It wasn't as big of a factor to me as my father," Kellen Jr. said. "But you need to see people in positions of high authority of the same color, of the same race as yourself."

When told of Kellen Sr.'s controversial instructions, Edwards, the acclaimed University of California sociologist and a consultant for the San Francisco 49ers, said he could only smile.

"I think he is precisely on the money," said Edwards, the author of numerous books on the relationship between sports and minorities. "He is to be admired for taking that stance and for seeing the political aspect of his son's decision.

"I would have done the same thing. As an African-American parent, it's the only credible thing to do. If you look at the top programs and such, the reality is we're still being asked to play in a place where we cannot work."

The numbers support Edwards' claim, as minorities continue to struggle to earn prominent head coaching or coordinator jobs in college and professional football.

In college, just five of the 115 Division I-A head coaches are black. This offseason, there have been 25 job openings in Division I football, but only one position, that at San Jose State, was filled by a black candidate.

	Herman Edwards is one of only three NFL head coaches who is African-American.

Things aren't much better in the NFL, where Tampa Bay's Tony Dungy, Minnesota's Dennis Green and new Jets coach Herman Edwards are the only black head coaches for the 31 teams in the league.

In the NFL, a black candidate has filled only three of the last 47 head coaching vacancies in the league. Most recently, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, considered by many a top coaching prospect, was overlooked despite seven NFL openings during the offseason. His team's success, ironically, might have hurt his chances for those jobs since he was not able to interview until after the Ravens' playoff run ended.

Thus the argument of Winslow: That if more blue-chip athletes considered the racial makeup of prospective coaches, administrators and faculty, it could open some eyes and create more opportunities for minority coaches.

"All I'm saying is to take a look at who the decision makers are," Winslow said. "And if you don't see somebody who looks like you, then ask why."

While many agree with Winslow's claims, others have called his premise racist. Imagine the backlash, they say, if a white father told his son he didn't think he should play for a black coach.

Lewis, who spent nine years as a college assistant before leaving for the NFL, said he believes the plan would be effective in turning the minority coaching tide. But that doesn't mean he supports it.

Though he admits the lack of minority coaches is problematic, Lewis said it is hypocritical that African-Americans, always striving to be treated and judged equally, suddenly would have a perceived advantage based on race alone.

"That's not what we want," Lewis said. "We want to be judged on an equal basis, for coaching candidates to be considered upon merits, not what skin color we are. I just don't see how in one term we are advocating people not to be looked upon based on skin color and then in another term, we are going to do it ourselves."

	“	We want to be judged on an equal basis, for coaching candidates to be considered upon merits, not what skin color we are. I just don't see how in one term we are advocating people not to be looked upon based on skin color and then in another term, we are going to do it ourselves. ”
		— Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis

Instead, Lewis said he would like to see a greater concentration placed on the continuing education of football personnel in regards to the number of qualified minority coaches available.

He points to the saga of Jimmy Raye, the former offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs and a 24-year veteran of NFL coaching, who has consistently been passed over for head coaching positions. Yet individuals like new Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer are given multiple chances to succeed.

"You have to wonder why Jimmy hasn't been a coach in the NFL," Lewis said. "I think we need to make sure guys are judged on their merits. Too often, people hire who they want based solely on comfort."

Because of that, Grant Teaff, president of the American Football Coaches Association, said he doesn't believe that threatening a school's ability to recruit would have any effect on the decision-makers in college football or the NFL. Teaff said the problem is more of the old-boy's network, in that coaches hire those they are familiar with.

"It might effect some people, but I certainly wouldn't see it as a major force," Teaff said. "It would barely effect those at the decision-making levels. Presidents, athletics directors and owners, they want to find a person that they think, based on their criteria, will lead them to the promise land."

Bob Minnix, associate athletics director at Florida State, disagrees. Minnix is also president of the Black Coaches Association and said he believes if enough kids addressed the issue of race with coaching icons like Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno, change would be imminent.

The only problem, Minnix said, is getting high school kids to realize the importance of such a maneuver during a time in their lives where many kids are more concerned with helping themselves.

	“	It would be great if the kids raised the issues; it would be more effective than people think. But most kids don't think along those lines. ”
		— Bob Minnix, president of the Black Coaches Association

"The problem is that their minds are in other places," Minnix said. "It would be great if the kids raised the issues; it would be more effective than people think. But most kids don't think along those lines."

Dennis Green, who as a player boycotted spring practice at the University of Iowa to improve conditions for black student-athletes during the early 1970's, said he believes the issue is bigger than race alone. Instead, the Minnesota Vikings' coach who has the longest tenure of any black coach in the NFL said he believes high school seniors should select a college that gives equal opportunity for everyone.

"Discriminatory practices, be it racial, religious, whatever, they are wrong," Green said. "You have to go to a place that understands the concept of equality. It's a major part of the decision."

Not everything is grim on the minority coaching front though, as the recent hirings of black coordinators at Miami, UCLA and Texas A&M suggest. Traditionally, offensive and defensive coordinators are some of the first names to pop up when a coaching vacancy becomes available.

At Miami, former defensive coordinator Greg Schiano became the head coach at Rutgers and offensive coordinator Larry Coker became the Canes' head coach in the offseason. In addition, each of the school's last four head coaches -- Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and Butch Davis -- have left Miami for a head coaching position in pro football.

So the future certainly has the potential to be better. And as Edwards looks at it, it's about time.

"Thirty-five years ago my mantra was, 'Why in the hell play at a school that doesn't truly want you there?' " Edwards said. "And we are still in that situation. So there's nowhere else to go but up."

Wayne Drehs is a staff writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn.com